Meltdown U has a NEW class called Kids Make Zines! It’s a four-week series where kids explore the things that interest them and learn how to make content and create zines about those topics. Our newest Melt U teacher, Sandra Markarian has been doing zine workshops with young people for the last couple of years and knows her stuff!

This is a short four-week series that will give your child some fun times and some exciting goals to achieve in the last half of the summer.

The Art of Inking is a class where you’ll learn to ink black and white line art like the comics pros and great illustrators. We’ll go over all different methods of inking on paper using brushes, dip pens, disposable ink pens, brush pens, and even getting special effects using things like sponges (!) Different styles of inking by master artists will be analyzed and taught. There will be some homework, but a lot of the work will be done in the sessions where the students can learn from and help each other.

The class will be taught by me, Jim Higgins. I’ve been working in the comics business for a million over 20 years. I’ve been an editor at DC Comics, have a small indie comics publishing company (called New Suit), and have taught comics for 16 years at places like The School of Visual Arts in NYC, CalArts, Otis College of Art and Design, UCLA Extension, and here at Melt U.

The start date is Saturday, April 21 from 11:30am to 2:00pm.The series runs for six weeks at Meltdown Comics. For more information click the link and scroll down to “The Art of Inking.”

• Show up at the Meltdown at 7:00 and draw a page of whatever you want.* At the end of the night we’ll collect all the art (and $2 for printing costs). When you come to the next month’s comix jam you’ll get a complete zine with everyone’s contributions inside!

• There is NO set theme and ALL skill levels are welcome!

• All of your original art will be returned to you along with your copy of the zine at next month’s meeting.

• Everyone who turns in art and $2 will have a copy waiting for them the next time they can make it out.

*Want to do a one-page self-contained strip? Awesome! One page of a longer, serialized story? Fantastic! A stand-alone illustration? Excelsior!

(Melt-thology is inspired by the monthly Dune Comix Jam at Cafe Racer in Seattle WA, organized by Max Clotfelter. Check out his work at maxclotfelter.blogspot.com)

Join us for the first-ever Melt-thology Comix Jam at Meltdown Comics & Collectibles on September 16!

How it works:

• Show up at the Melt at 7:00 and draw a page of whatever you want.* At the end of the night we’ll collect all the art (and $2 for printing costs). When you come to the next month’s comix jam you’ll get a complete zine with everyone’s contributions inside!

• There is NO set theme and ALL skill levels are welcome!

• All of your original art will be returned to you along with your copy of the zine at next month’s meeting.

• Everyone who turns in art and $2 will have a copy waiting for them the next time they can make it out.

*Want to do a one-page self-contained strip? Awesome! One page of a longer, serialized story? Fantastic! A stand-alone illustration? Excelsior!

Whether or not you’re going to Comic-Con in San Diego, if you want to get work in the comics business as an artist, you’ve got to have the right stuff both in your drawings and in your portfolio!

In this one-day, get-it-all-in workshop, veteran comics editor, comics teacher, and Meltdown University Program Director Jim Higgins will go over what every aspiring comics artist needs to know and what they should have in their portfolio. This is a workshop that will cover getting into the comics business as an artist, what comics editors are looking for (and NOT looking for!), and how to make your time (or your art’s time) front of an editor count. Jim will speak and then review all the attendee’s portfolios.

There are at least ten conventions in the LA area every year (can you believe it?) and every one of those is a chance to show your work to a publisher.

If you’re going to San Diego Comic-Con with your art this is your LAST CHANCE to get a professional critique of your portfolio!

When: Saturday, July 19, from 11:00am-2:00pm.

Price:$25 payable the day of the workshop.

Bring: Your portfolio, ready to go, partly ready, or some samples of your art. Jim will help anyone at any stage of preparation.

We may have to cap the number of people who attend so sign up so reserve a space!

E-mail us at meltdownuniversity@gmail.com and give your full name and e-mail address.